This invention relates to a display apparatus for displaying the operation mode of a tape recorder.
In a miniaturized tape recorder such as a microcassette tape recorder which uses manually operable touch switch buttons, a means for displaying its operation mode is necessary. The touch switch button undergoes practically no mechanical displacement when it is depressed. Also, it is usually not held in any mechanically displaced state. Therefore, unless an operation mode display means is provided, the user cannot tell to what operation mode the tape recorder is brought when a touch switch button is depressed. In the case of a largesize tape recorder, it is possible to provide exclusive light-emission diodes or the like for the individual operation modes of the tape recorder and obtain the display of an operation mode with the lighting of a light-emission diode that is caused when the corresponding touch switch button is operated. However, the case of a miniaturized tape recorder, in which the available space is limited, it is difficult to provide exclusive light-emission diodes for the individual operation modes. Besides, the use of a number of light-emission diodes is undesirable from the standpoint of the cost of the product.
There are at least two operation modes which should be displayed, namely a recording mode and a pause mode. The display of the former is necessary for distinguishing this mode from a playback mode, and that of the latter is necessary for distinguishing this state from the completely stopped state. It is also desirable that the display can distinguish a pause state of the recording mode and that of the playback mode from each other.